The Daily Life of Chrome Dokuro
by mochaangel
Summary: What does Chrome Dokuro do in her free time now? She's not much of a busy body but it is quite interesting what she does for her familiga for her friends, and for herself. Chrome-centric with practically All96 but not too much.
1. Underestimated

Hello I am going to start this story so be prepared!

Ultimately this is going to be one story with connected chapters or basic oneshots. The chapters will be connected but not always related, some times i might put real stories in their but right now this is just gonna be fun.

Don't expect regular updates (like really im horrible at that) and this is really writing for my pleasure.

**I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn or any characters in this story**

UNDERESTIMATED

a little 1896 but not really? hope you enjoy.

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><p>The grass swayed melodically as a breeze brushed by them in a soft hum, as if dancing to the songs of the bluebirds and canaries. A tall tree sat peacefully along the field practically glowing as the warm sunlight enveloped every branch, every leaf. The scene looked as if it was pulled from a fairy-tale, so bright, so calm, so…<p>

Perfect.

The flowing grass melded into the ground until it looked brown and wood-like, sweeping itself into a pattern of rectangular planks that laid inanimate and firm as if its prior form was a sort of hallucination. The great tree wilted, curling itself in like a dying rose. The birds and sunshine soon faded away revealing a small room with aging white walls, slightly tainted floorboards, and few pieces of furniture placed neatly around the area, it was a quaint apartment.

A sigh escaped the lips of a petite girl who was seated on a maroon couch located in the middle of the room. It wasn't an exasperated sigh but a content, almost tired exclamation. The girl stretched herself out as if she was a cat waking up from a well-deserved nap. She gently lay down on her couch relishing in the memories of her living dream.

Chrome Dokuro enjoyed her illusions, when life became too real or when she found that the cooing and coddling of her new friends and familiga was a bit too suffocating, her imagination helped her escape for a little while. Though, it's not like Chrome didn't enjoy the attention the people gave her, she loved her companions with every inch of her being, but sometimes she just needs time to be alone; away from their quirky behavior and overwhelming personalities. Chrome smiled as she thought of all of her friends' quirks.

Chrome looked up at a clock on her wall. It was 4:23pm on a Tuesday; Chrome knew everyone was at home probably weary from today's school events - By events Chrome meant the Cloud guardian furiously tailing their boss like a wild beast, his tonfas gleaming like fangs. Though Chrome and the other guardians were able to temporarily cease the prefect's hunt, it was Reborn's swift negotiation that finally stopped the carnage.

Chrome steadily sat up as she remembered the words of the former Arcobaleno.

"_Alright Hibari, you can continue to fight the __**equally as powerful**__ Vongola guardians as you chase my No-Good Student around the halls causing massive destruction to the school…" Hibari relaxed himself from his fighting stance to eye the fedora wearing child, his ears perked for the soon to be announced proposition. Reborn twitched his lip as if he was hiding a smug smirk_

"…_or we can do you a favor."_

_The Storm guardian practically breathed fire as he complained about doing a favor for the 'aloof bastard' while the Rain guardian simply waved off his fury to tell him about the good side of the situation – not getting maimed was a good side right? – The Sun guardian simply just got fired up for the chance to fight with Hibari again while the Tenth Vongola Boss however, was just relieved he got to keep his head attached to his body, although he was still slightly nervous about the compromise Reborn pitched._

_The Mist guardian, Chrome, simply nodded as to inform she was okay with the deal that has been made and quietly walked off from the scene to her silent classroom, empty as the former slaughter chased away the rest of her class._

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><p>Chrome walked into a familiar building slightly greeted by a few of the Disciplinary Committee prefects standing guard at the front doors. Chrome got to know some of the other prefects as the Cloud guardian used them frequently to call out some of the guardians and boss during class. It was either some warning or punishment at the treatment of his school, something mafia related, or –specifically for her, anything "Mukuro-related"<p>

Chrome began to climb the school staircase to get to the designated room, as she stepped higher and higher through the stairs the girl could hear muffled voices of her familiga. Chrome checked her new watch she recently got as a present from Kyoko and Haru.

4:53pm, _it's still a bit early, _Chrome thought._ Though, I guess some of them must have been excited to come back or are probably scared the Cloud guardian will break their legs if they're even a millisecond late. _Chrome almost smiled at the thought of it.

Now don't get Chrome wrong, she was as terrified of Hibari Kyoya's wrath as the next herbivore. But her time with Ken's ferocious and loud way of caring or Chikusa's concerned but cold silence lead her to appreciate what people normally consider mean or scary as just a part of someone's personality. If she was anywhere _near_ the tonfa wielding man she'd probably stare at the tiled floor until he left and she was in a safe distance to think freely again. Though, the Cloud guardian does give her a sort of strained tolerance whenever they do cross paths.

4:57pm. It was almost time to check in that _favor_, Chrome was already beside her fellow familiga all standing lazily against the wall opposite of the Disciplinary Committee Office where Hibari was carefully watching the clock so he isn't late to cash in his favor. The skylark grimaced at the memory of why he even accepted the offer.

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><p>The damned screaming herbivore completely destroyed his lunch, leaving the carnivore starving and enraged. Though it wasn't <em>just <em>the lunch, it was the fact Hibari didn't sleep until 3:00am that morning as he had some 'outside buisness' to deal with- drug dealers were using his school as a meeting ground for their desperate customers and sleazy business partners. Well, not anymore of course as the devoted prefect beat them all senseless and broken. However it did take longer than expected as some of the more stoned victims started fighting in an almost unconscious stupor, it took some time to finally beat them into an unmoving pulp.

Hibari thought he could sleep during school but he remembered he needed to wake up early because some of the more bold staff members were getting pissy about some useless stack of paperwork for his committee. If it weren't for the fact that Hibari was sleep deprived and even more wary of the crowds the babbling adults could produce if he didn't complete the work, he would've sent those teachers to the infirmary in one flick of his wrist. The man twitched at his situation but did the responsible choice. Besides, if he didn't finish the work some of the more sly professors could find a way to bring in the authorities, and that may not be good for some of the more suspicious members of his system.

So, during lunch hour, when the prefect finally finished that paperwork, the weak herbivore scurried into his office like a mouse being chased by a lion. Hibari was on his last nerve because he knew once that small creature appeared his peace was to be ruined immediately. But due to his sleepiness and hunger the skylark merely gave Sawada Tsunayoshi a glare that could freeze a stampede of rhinos.

_Get. Out. _

_Her. Bi. Vore. _

Before the trembling Tsunayoshi could answer, a flurry of sharp objects pierced through the door, expertly outlining Sawada's frozen frame. Hibari could already feel his last nerve twisting as his left eye twitched. The door flew open and Sawada stepped back only to be faced by a girl in an overly frilly dress Hibari recognized as the entourage of the highly annoying Longchamp. The prefect sighed. He may have been a sleep deprived mess but at least he knew the gist of what happened:

The terrified herbivore was probably caught up in one of the baby's comical lessons and ended up getting this girl to start pursuing him like a mad assassin or someone with a vendetta. The skylark slowly gritted his teeth at the situation.

The herbivore was frantically sprinting around his office dodging fans with metal tips on them, and the girl was continuously assaulting him with said fans with no point of accuracy or ammunition usage. Hibari was about to get up and finally do something when the flailing teen hit his lunch and splattered it all over the paperwork the staff was so determined to have him do. So now he had to print whole new stacks of paper, get a new lunch, and lose more hours of sleep than what was acceptable to him.

It was obvious Sawada Tsunayoshi was going to die today, not at the hands of a girl in a lacy dress, but by the steel of a carnivorous man's tonfas. Hibari knew the two people in his office could now sense his killing intent like prey sensing an ambush of predators before they're devoured into bones. The woman already ran, a smart girl. Tsunayoshi was not as lucky, frozen from the overwhelming shock of the prefect's fury. It wasn't until the skylark's signature words, "I will bite you to death." signaled the beginning of the hunt.

The destruction was overwhelming as students practically jumped in classrooms or out windows to avoid the prefects' rage, the loud one called Gokudera Hayato, and the cheerful one called Yamamoto Takeshi, were already trying to defend their targeted friend. Then soon the boxer and Mukuro- No Chrome Dokuro joined the fray.

_She should change her hair; I don't like mistaking her for that other pineapple illusionist_ Hibari thought as he expertly pushed away a sword and a fist from striking him.

Death and hell were decorating the halls of Namimori Middle, Hibari finally stopped when he saw Tsunayoshi right beside him but cursed when he fell for an illusion, He was then subdued by Yamamoto Takeshi and Sasagawa Ryohei, then threatened to stay still by Gokudera Hayato's famous choice of weaponry, and 'chained down' by Chrome Dokuro's illusions. He was about to tear through them all when the hatted baby appeared in front of him and made a proposition he did not refuse.

_The herbivores must do __**all**__ my work while I can nap peacefully with no disruption, and if they should fail at accomplishing my duties correctly I can bite them to death. _Hibari almost sighed in his head, looking forward to his nap.

4:59pm. it was time to rally the useless herbivores. Hibari pushed himself up to stand guiding himself to the crowd of people outside his door.

"Listen up herbivores." The prefect said grimly eyeing the pack of idiots. Sawada froze and stood straight, sweating bullets as he tried to avoid the skylarks' leer. Gokudera glared at him back but didn't say a word as he furiously waited for an opportunity to use his dynamite against him. Yamamoto stood relaxed and smiling but a little shaky from the prefect's hard gaze and Ryohei was fired up, waiting for Hibari to snap and attack probably.

_Like I'd waste my time _Hibari grimaced.

He was going to make all of them clean his school from their lethal death race, probably placing the boxer and the bomb-obsessed-loudmouth at the ends of the school to avoid hearing their whining and complaining at close range.

As Hibari was contemplating his plan to gain complete silence his soulless glare stopped at a much shorter figure, almost pulling out his tonfas as his sleepy eyes thought it was a familiar enemy. Of course it was just Chrome Dokuro, the said enemy's former vessel and now student of his middle school.

Hibari thought about what the illusionist's role was going to be in this favor he was owed. The girl was namely small and fragile-looking, she couldn't possibly lift the heavy debris from the halls of massacre, she'd probably need to stand and wait until the bigger debris was carried away until she turned useful.

The skylark hated useless things. He then remembered that this particular female preferred to be silent and obedient, and that the paperwork Sawada Tsunayoshi soiled was now unfinished. Hibari decided what the herbivore girl was to do.

Hibari assigned the work areas to each of the guardians, Tsunayoshi and Yamamoto was to do clean-up in the halls on the West-side of the building while Ryohei and Gokudera would clear up in the East. Of course the Storm guardian was fuming that he was to be separated from his boss but obeyed as he didn't want Hibari to have any more favors from them.

As the boys dispersed, Chrome was left standing in the hall, a bit hurt that she was not called out but was soon dragged into the Disciplinary Committee's Office by the Vongola Cloud guardian. Chrome was confused until Hibari pointed at a stack of papers that lay cleanly on his desk. After closer observation the pineapple-haired girl recognized these as safety concerns and complaints for the Disciplinary Committee. Chrome didn't know the legendary committee received such papers. She looked up at the prefect as is to confirm this was her task.

"Hn." Was Hibari's gruff answer as he turned away from her and laid himself down drowsily on the couch of his office. Chrome blinked and merely sat herself upon the Cloud guardian's office chair and carefully read through the papers.

Not too long from when Chrome finished her first few papers, small explosions and frantic yelling could be heard muffled by the door of the room and the distance of the loud people. Chrome saw Hibari twitch as the small tremor and faint screaming caught his attention.

As much as it was nerve-wreaking to have the demonic prefect so close to her proximity, Chrome didn't want the events of today to repeat itself. Also she did feel sorry for Hibari; from the way he staggered to his couch Chrome could finally tell he was exhausted out of his mind.

So the female illusionist breathed in slowly and gently, concentrating her soft mist flames to layer itself around the room. It was a strong but light layer as to not alarm the cranky man of Chrome's illusion, because heaven knows what will happen once Hibari finds himself in the mind of Chrome Dokuro. The tremors and shouting slowly faded away as if they were distancing themselves from the room. The illusionist glanced at Hibari and saw he was a bit more relaxed now and she found herself glad for him.

The skylark sluggishly opened one eye as if to see what happened to the upcoming commotion when he realized he was in an illusion. As he was about to pounce at the only illusionist in the room the prefect found himself comfortable, not just a "this-bed-is-of-acceptable-material" way, but a sort of serene comfort like nothing was able to harm him. Curious, the dark-haired teen closed his eyes once more and found that the mist flames that were being currently used now felt a lot more tranquil and warm than the ones he found other illusionists use.

It was not like Mukuro Rokudo's sharp and deceiving flames that would crawl like snakes as they formed an illusion. Those ones were obvious lies that had a hit hard enough to make you think it was real, whether mentally or physically. It was not like his irritating apprentice's flames which were like pranks; you could feel the flames but not the illusion it was confusing, and when the illusion did affect you it was as annoying and suffocating as the illusionist himself. It was not like the floating Varia baby's illusions either. His was deceitful and powerful; like being transported away into a new reality where all of your free will was taken from you. Hibari was nearly exploding when he thought about the illusionists, so fake and weak, hiding from reality to make things easier for them.

The prefect then concentrated on the illusion he was experiencing now. Soft and delicate, it didn't feel real but something inside him wanted to believe it was. Hibari's slow pondering was ceased however as he smelt a warm spring air and his eyes shot open. He was in a meadow; the grass was as endless and bright as the sky where he saw Hibird fluttering with some illusionary bluebirds. He found his couch was still beneath him as he turned his head everywhere to find the woman responsible for this. He found her diligently working on the paperwork he had assigned, a few pages from being finished. The desk still placed where it was relative to his couch but far more illuminated by the false sun. The girl was serenely working as the sunlight gently highlighted her as if she was a deity of the heavens. The prefect caught himself and continued to act accordingly.

"Herbivore, how dare you." Hibari growled slowly standing up feeling reenergized as he realized he took a nap while thinking of illusions. Chrome bolted up as she heard the intimidating voice, scared she instinctively pulled her head down and quickly reformed Hibari's office.

Slowly looking up at the killer prefect wary of her every move, Chrome looked him straight in the eyes, softly uttering "I'm sorry."

Hibari was taken aback by her sincere gaze and absolutely apologetic response, though never showing it. He decided to give her a chance to explain, because looking at her sad eyes he knew she was just going to accept her judgment from him without vouching for her innocence.

"What do you think you were doing?" Hibari snarled, warning her that her lies will mean her death. Chrome sat up in Hibari's office chair her eyes still apologetic but… grateful?

Grateful Hibari didn't bite her to death right away? Hibari Kyoya knew this herbivore was shy and quiet but did that hide how naïve and generally kind she is.

Hibari threw that thought back as he was having difficulty swallowing the growing realization that this girl was so innocent.

"You looked like you were having troubles sleeping so… I thought you needed help calming yourself down." Chrome slightly blushed as she just admitted her act of kindness, the aloof cloud held his breath at the tinge of pink forming on her skin. "The place you just saw is an illusion I use when everything gets too stressful for me I…" a pause, Hibari used it to stand up properly from his battle form "I thought you needed it." Chrome shrugged but blushed trying to hide her face by looking down at the paperwork she was doing.

Her words weren't much, obviously this girl didn't do a lot of talking, but it affected Hibari to quite an extent. The skylark glared incredulously at the illusionist, her words weren't lies - the prefect could smell liars.

So she was sincere?

This girl just wanted Hibari to have a good rest?

He saw that this small creature was afraid of him as any other small creature was, but regardless of her fear she just tried to make him comfortable. Was she stupid?

No.

As much as this girl should have known that illusions were a taboo for the Cloud guardian illusionists were smart, they could create images from their mind and suck people into their endless imaginations without letting themselves be caught inside. And after feeling her illusions personally, after feeling the way a part of him _wanted_ this herbivore's illusion to be real…

She was not stupid. Nor any type of weak he would previously compare her to.

The skylark decided to mentally note this down for future investigation.

Hibari realized he was thinking too long in his thoughts when he heard a firm _clack_ of a pen, it seems Chrome Dokuro finished the paperwork while he was in his stupor.

Irritated Chrome ignored him but glad the stupid paperwork was finished, Hibari simply turned and sat back on the couch. The girl noticed the movement and stared at the prefect. While Hibari was staring blankly at her a few moments ago she felt awkward, so she slowly began to do the paperwork again wanting it finished as soon as possible.

Chrome knew she was the only one left in the building as her boss informed her they were all done their tasks and heading home, oddly her boss was in his underwear as he quickly told her this. So she was left with the prefect to finish her task as instructed. She checked her watch - 6:53pm. She was about to get up and leave until-

"Wait." Hibari's dark voice echoed in his office. Chrome obeyed and stood curiously where she was, looking at Vongola's Cloud guardian seated lazily on the couch.

"Yes, Cloud man?" Chrome politely responded as she waited for Hibari's own response.

"Why did you want to help me herbivore? What do you want?" Hibari didn't like being around the bush and he felt like if he knew this girls reasons now questions would stop floating around his head like ocean mines waiting to explode.

He was looking at the herbivore who was now carrying a nervous and blushing face, he glared at her replacing what he thought would be a blush himself. Chrome breathed a long soft breath before she answered.

"I don't want anything, it's just…" she was turning red "You work hard for what you want to protect, and I admire your strength to do so, even when you are tired and drowsy. The way I always see you put Namimori Middle first…is inspiring." A smile crept onto her face Chrome felt a sort of happiness and anxiousness letting her feelings out.

Hibari though twitched at her blunt sweetness, her smile was one too guiltless for the mafia they associated with, her answer too honest and kind for any type of mist user. Hibari looked her straight in the eye confused and a little irritated. He glared at her until he looked defeated, not the type of defeated where Hibari was humiliated and beaten – he promised himself he would never be defeated like that again - but a type of defeat where he was exasperated but understood.

The 16-year old boy straightened up with a new look in his eyes that were still trained on the Vongola Mist guardian. Hibari was going to say something important, Chrome could feel it and it made her shiver at the honor. What he was going to say would change the outlook of the herbivore and him entirely. With what he knew from just today and maybe a few instances in the past he supposed - and cursed himself for not catching on sooner, he spoke with a cold tone making his words sound almost like a threat.

"I underestimated you."

Chrome's eye widened, blinked a few times, and then she smiled gently, understanding Hibari's double meaning. The female bowed to the male while he grunted something she couldn't understand.

She exited his office and school, and walked back to her apartment, content that maybe she made a new friend all by herself this time.

_Though it's probably safer to not tell Mukuro-sama about this yet… _Chrome inwardly thought as she strolled into her building.

Meanwhile the skylark stayed present in his school, thinking about the pineapple-haired girl he recently got to know, not as _Mukuro Rokudo's follower_ but as Chrome Dokuro.

_Underestimating people like that is dangerous._


	2. Blooming Strength

This is a fic that connects Chrome and the Kokuyo gang and their current relation.

sorta 9669 with all the Kokuyo people.

**I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

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><p>The Kokuyo Gang finally made it back to their grimy and torn amusement park from a mission they had to do in Russia. Apparently Mukuro wanted to <em>interrogate <em>a local gang that got caught in some mafia business with one of the higher-ups of the Noviello Familiga. Mukuro was pleased to receive information about some new type of dying-will weaponry being exported to Italy; he will no doubt acquire it when it will become useful for him.

Walking into the main building of their home, the squabbling of the Kokuyo Gang began almost immediately. Starting with M.M complaining about the horrible condition of their living arrangements and spoke about wanting to be in a mansion or some other expensive building. Ken, being the one who's always irritated by any type of disobedience towards any of Mukuro's choices sharply responded to her whining with blunt insults and baseless reasons, which Fran was quick to affront him on.

Mukuro chuckled at their volatile behavior while Chikusa sighed, mumbling about needing a shower as their flight was full of filthy slobs. Everyone would have continued their usual activities but fell quiet as they heard soft footsteps coming from the north hall. Everyone's killing instinct practically possessed their bodies as they waited for an enemy to appear. The tension was then released when a familiar figure glided through the hall instead, a basket full of food in her small hands.

Chrome Dokuro smiled warmly as she looked at her former gang. She was just upstairs walking through each room and reminiscing of the days she used to stay in the old run-down building. Her nostalgia ended when she heard the creaky front doors open and close followed by an acquainted bickering coming from the first floor. She felt relieved and smiled softly as she recognized the voices.

She knew today was the day all of them returned from their far-away mission and she wanted to greet them the second they came back.

"Oi, Woman what the hell are you doing here?" Ken barked at her harshly, but his concentration fell on the basket of warm food she held in her arms. Chrome was already used to the treatment and merely smiled at her old housemate.

"I thought you all might have been hungry and tired after your trip so I thought I could fix up your rooms and bring you food." Chrome's voice was barely above a whisper but the kindness of her tone echoed in the dark and dank room.

M.M, ignoring the kind gesture took the silence as a chance to speak out "Hey! What did you touch in my room! You better not have touched my clothes; those beauties cost more than what you'll earn in your entire lifetime!"

Chrome was slightly taken aback from her loud accusation but shook it off as she was used to this treatment as well. Instead the pineapple-haired female offered M.M the food with a small smile. The redhead was irritated her words didn't affect her and above all else that this girl was responding with kindness.

_This girl has got to be stupid, her level of naivety is far beyond what's physically possible._ M.M thought as she swiftly ignored her offer and continued to accuse her of the tampering of her room.

Meanwhile the other members of the Kokuyo gang who didn't talk were just thinking to themselves, a little in awe. Not by Chrome's obvious ignorance of the lashing words that were being thrown at her but how they didn't realize anyone was in the building or that Chrome was even present in the hallway. Mukuro himself was a little agitated as to how he failed to notice her presence.

Maybe he was tired from the flight?

Or he was getting too comfortable with his current company he didn't notice her?

The illusionist quickly scoffed at that idea as he remembered thoroughly scanning for suspicious characters the second he entered the abandoned community area.

But how_ did_ she conceal her presence so naturally? The thought itched in his brain. Maybe, Chrome Dokuro was just getting _that _good. The realization made Mukuro slightly smirk as he thought of how fast his old apprentice was growing.

As he was thinking the powerful man had already made his way to his gang who was now feasting on Chrome's wonderful meal. Even M.M stopped complaining after spotting some fruity dessert she was now reluctantly eating. Seeing everyone eat their fill Mukuro realized how hungry he was himself and took a few rice balls and sandwiches from the assortment.

After their makeshift picnic, Fran, being the blunt and suspicious boy he his asked what had at least lingered through everyone's minds at some point.

"Hey Chrome-senpai, how did you come into the building without us noticing? You weren't trying to collect information on us while we were away were you? If so I've got a ton of embarrassing secrets about Ken and I'd be happy to share notes."

The monotone boy was quickly assaulted at by a raging Ken in his Wolf Channel. While Chrome however, tilted her head in a confused expression, trying to decipher what the boy meant.

"I too am a bit curious of this as well." Chrome broke concentration as she looked to the source of the dark and playful voice that she was very much familiar with. The source continued to speak as he knew his dear Chrome was still a little puzzled by his disciple's question. "Usually we would find signs of a break in, like a tampered door lock or any marks that it's been broken through. As well as we'd be able to differentiate footprints that show people have been in here, because I know for sure people can _not_ come inside here with a clean step."

Chrome pondered his words for a few seconds and then answered plainly. "I didn't tamper with the locks or break the door; I made a key for myself to enter."

Then, as if on cue, Chrome formed an illusionary skeleton key from a twig lying on the ground and placed it on her former master's hand. Mukuro carefully examined the expert illusion, going over the fake teeth of the key to see how it fooled the lock. The male illusionist found himself smiling as he saw no faults in the trick; the man could even feel himself respecting Chrome's increasing skills as he tossed her illusion back to its owner. She didn't bother catching it as she simply dematerialized into nothing but flickers of Mist flames and a stick before it hit the ground.

"What about your footprints? Byon!" Ken entered the conversation as he was trying to strangle Fran, who was to his effort shielding himself from the feral teen with his illusions.

"Oh." Chrome replied serenely as if she forgot about that part of the question when she saw the pride on her former master's face. "I did tell you I was cleaning up here, right? I probably cleaned most of my footprints off the floor."

Her answer was honest and light making everyone feel stupid that they suspected her of anything even slightly malicious.

"What about my traps?" Fran's unwavering voiced sliced through the thoughts of everyone in the room.

"Traps?" Chrome inquired, until something sparked in her eyes. "Oh those were yours? They were really good." Chrome found herself complimenting the boy as she looked back on her memory.

Ken stopped trying to claw out Fran's eyes and stared at him and Chrome in confusion, everyone else followed suit.

"What _traps_?" Chikusa finally asked, his first few coherent words besides the mumblings he did about how troublesome everyone was during their meal.

"The illusionary traps I set for anyone who tries to go in my room or touch my stuff." Fran answered plainly looking to Chrome for his answer.

"I froze them." The innocent response of what was surely a powerful deed caught everyone by surprise.

"What do you mean you _froze _them?" M.M looked at Chrome incredulously, retracting her inner comment of how stupid she thought the girl was.

"I used my own illusions to create a thin barrier that's containing them right now." Everyone took a moment to think about what the female illusionist just said.

"You mean… your _still _holding back Fran's illusions right now, byon?" Chrome nodded to Ken's inquiry.

As the silence continued Chrome thought she would explain "The illusions are preprogrammed to do specific things since there's no illusionist controlling it at close proximity, so I have to hold it back until it begins to fade."

"But how come I can't feel my illusions? Even though I'm not controlling them personally doesn't mean I shouldn't be able to feel them. You did something else lady and I wanna know." Fran was now poking Chrome accusingly; of course he still held his unfeeling voice but it did hold a little suspicion and irritation.

Chrome pondered his question and then blushed as she tried to find an explanation. "I have been told my illusions have a relaxing and sort of tranquil mood to it… Maybe that feeling numbed it out." Her blush grew as she finished vocalizing her idea; she never really enjoyed acknowledging her own power, it felt like bragging.

There was a long silence after Chrome's words. She regretted even speaking at this point until a laugh emerged from a certain pineapple-haired illusionist. "Kufufufu" bounced on the walls until everyone was staring at the source of the infamous laughter.

"Well Chrome, it seems you have become quite strong over the time we have not seen you. You have grown surprisingly powerful with your naïve nature; I hope to see it one day in action." Mukuro Rokudo stated resting his chin on his hand while he sat crossed-legged. Despite his condescending tone it was true that the deceitful man _was_ actually proud.

He found Chrome's illusion to be top notch not just by beginner to expert standards but from liar to _insanity_ inducing standards. As well as the fact stands, Chrome was able to completely halt Fran's preprogrammed illusions from harming her; from the girl's honest words she completely stopped them in their tracks. Even he falls into his apprentice's immature pranks once in a while, though he'd gouge out his eyes and join the mafia if he ever admitted that. But the most surprising thing Mukuro recognized was that Chrome's Mist flames did not alarm his apprentice, or the other members of his gang, or even _him,_ the most powerful illusionist of his generation. Her flames were completely silent as they entered the building, as they had their meal, as they were conversing with each other right now.

_Wait._

A small warmth was penetrating into Rokudo Mukuro's senses. He identified that the familiar tingling and realized it was there when he saw Chrome was in the building.

_Wasn't that warmth the delicious food Chrome brought in for us?_

Mukuro began to think of what the current sensation was.

_But all the food is gone now..._

_Could that be Chrome's kindness emitting from her being?_

_Perhaps…but I'm beginning to sense it from upstairs-_

His thoughts completely ceased as he realized Chrome's flames were emitting that calm warmth from up the north hall in Fran's room. He recognized it as the flame she fought with during the Arcobaleno Representative Battles.

_She learned to control it._ Mukuro thought lightly to himself.

His eyes then bolted to reality as he saw Chrome standing up.

"Oya oya, are you leaving so soon my dear Chrome?" His smooth voice completely hid the fact he had an internal investigation about Chrome's flames instead of listening to the hectic outbursts of Ken yelling at Chrome to thank Mukuro for his compliment. While Chrome all the while was frozen and completely embarrassed at her former master's comment.

It was when the female illusionist stood up that her face stopped looking like a cherry and her breath stopped heaving so heavily. He remembered she used to faint immediately after his compliments and praise, but not anymore. Her features were now completely composed besides her still reducing blush, Mukuro felt a little disappointed that he knew he couldn't get that reaction out of her anymore, but found it okay for now.

"Yes, I have to finish my homework for school tomorrow." Chrome answered Mukuro's question with almost an unfeeling tone. It surprised all of them how dull her manner became.

"But…" Chrome's emotions began to swell back into her voice "Thank you so much for the compliment, Mukuro-sama." She bowed to him, her sincerity and glee practically spilling from her words.

"Also thank you for eating my food, I am so happy you all enjoyed it." She then bowed to the rest of the gang, the same happiness fluttering from her mouth.

Ken, M.M, even Fran, and Chikusa felt a blush crawling at their faces while they were praised by the female illusionist. Some of them even tried to retort some "Your welcomes" in their own way.

"W-Well if that makes you so happy! Make us some more food to eat! Byon!"

"Pf! It wasn't that good! I know millions of professional chefs that could kick you to the curb!"

"Hm."

"Are you getting cocky now? If you are I can throw up this food to show you it's not all that great."

Chrome simply smiled and giggled at their responses, knowing all too well what these people meant. She then bowed once more, turned gently on her heels and walked out the door. A small sense of disappointment filled the air but then everyone turned back to normal, starting up an argument of who was blushing during Chrome's little thank you.

Everyone except Mukuro joined the conversation as he was eyeing the door where Chrome left. The illusionist soon felt the warmth of her flames disappearing as she was getting farther and farther away from Kokuyo Land. The coldness of the building soon shadowed him once again and a thought ran quickly through his head. It caused a mix of fear, irritation, even a new sense of pride bloomed at the notion.

_How did Chrome get so strong?_


	3. Chrome Gets Connected

Hello I am back, its almost Tsuna and Reborn's birthday and it was Xanxus' birthday a couple days a go so WHOOOOO!

So thank you for any reviews and keeping up with this story, i have long decided that this will be like a story that will build up to more exciting plots, like how Daily Life arcs build to main arcs in KHR, you know. So anyway this is the relationship between Chrome and her familiga! I really love this relationship and also i put in a new character, he's not gonna show up much but he's there.

I even got to play my favourite game during this story, the name randomizer, you see i dont usually add OCs into stories but when i need to name them i go on baby naming sites and choose from the correct nationality. Even the last name was involved in my game.

well anyway enjoy the story.

**I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

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><p>It started out as a suggestion, nothing huge, just a passing idea they thought would be useful to her. Then it became a concern, they thought she would be completely shut out of the social world if she didn't at least have one on hand or in her home. Finally, it became a plea, when she was staying at Kokuyo Land to take care of a sick apple-headed illusionist for a week none of them knew where she was and it ended up with a search party that lasted for three days until her boss finally checked into the abandoned amusement park.<p>

She didn't know when the begging started but by the end of it all she gave in to their worried voices and hopeful eyes.

That was the reason Chrome Dokuro found herself in a large electronics store searching for a phone and a computer. Although she wasn't alone, about all of her familiga was there. Her boss, the Storm guardian, the Rain guardian, the Sun guardian, the little Lightning guardian, Kyoko, Haru, and I-pin who was happily sitting on Chrome's head looking for the perfect electronic device for her.

People began to stare at the large group as they all trekked through the isles looking for the cellphone department. Chrome immediately felt herself lose confidence as the strangers' gazes started pointing at their odd group.

"Don't worry Chrome we'll be in and out of here the second we get things you like." Kyoko read through Chrome's uncomfortable position and impulsively began to console her.

"Yeah! Besides after this we can all chat and talk with each other all the time!" Haru made an expanding gesture with her arms as she smiled brightly to the eye-patched girl.

I-Pin even managed to calmly pat her head, soothing the thoughts running rampant in her mind.

Chrome could only flush pink at their kindness but she found herself smiling happily from their words.

"Hey, there's the phone area." Yamamoto Takeshi, the Vongola Rain guardian, pointed out cheerfully, causing everyone to turn to where he was looking.

As the group reached the area they found it was very large and neat as example phones displayed themselves on slanted tables where customers were allowed to hold them. Lambo, the Vongola Lightning guardian, and I-pin quickly dispatched to play with the displays while the Sun guardian, Sasagawa Ryohei, followed to make sure they don't end up making trouble.

"May I help you?" A perky but helpful voice asked. Chrome found herself jumping at the unfamiliar voice so close to her proximity. She found herself looking at a man in his 20s who had the store's uniform on and look in his eye that said he legitimately wanted to help.

"A-ah, yeah." Her boss responded still a little surprised by this man's outburst. Chrome felt a little relieved that she wasn't the only one who was caught off guard.

"Our friend Chrome-" He gestured to her while she slightly bowed and blushed. "-Wants to buy her first phone and computer here."

The man's face lit up like a glow stick.

"That's great!" his demeanor reflecting his expression. "Do you mind telling me if you're already signed up with a phone or internet plan?"

Chrome felt a little woozy with his preppy personality but managed to steadily shake her head.

"Oh, so you're not signed up to anything yet?" The man calmed down as he saw he was making the customer uncomfortable and Chrome nodded, a little more composed than before.

"Well then I know a great plan for students or singles if you're paying this for yourself."

Chrome finally took a calming breath before nodding and following the happy employee. Kyoko, Haru, and her Boss followed her for support while Yamamoto and the Storm guardian, Gokudera Hayato, stayed behind to help Ryohei deal with an obnoxious Lambo who was trying to pull a phone out from its display.

"Well before we get started, my name is Kei and I will answer any questions or concerns you have to my best ability, so don't be afraid to ask." The man informed, making sure to watch his tone as he didn't want to scare away his customer. Chrome felt flattered at his kindness as she was now listening to his pitch about the latest plans.

Everything was going smoothly, Chrome Dokuro was able to find a suitable plan, the man didn't seem to ask too many questions, considering he's giving internet usage to a 14-year old girl with an eye-patch, and the rest of the guardians weren't causing any sort of disruption.

_BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!_

A deafening alarm blew from the store.

The screeching pierced through everyone's good mood like a long sword through flesh.

As Chrome and her boss, Sawada Tsunayoshi ran to the source of the commotion - Kyoko and Haru following them through late reaction as they didn't have the fighters' instincts like the other two - they found an actual long sword being used. They were more so surprised to see that their own Rain guardian was using it to block another type of blade from stabbing his stomach.

"HIIIIEEE!" Tsunayoshi screamed almost instantaneously as he realized there was a battle going on in the Speakers area of the store.

Yamamoto's eye's lightened as he heard the familiar shrieking coming from the end of the isle. "Yo Tsuna, what's up? Have you found the stuff for Chrome yet?"

The swordsman's casual tone was a complete contrast to the flowing movements he made to incapacitate his opponent. On closer ground, Yamamoto's opponent was wearing a black suit and tinted shades, an earpiece hung from the man's neck as he was laying down, unconscious do to the brutal beating he received by the cheerful teenager. Though what really caught people's attention was the shield embroidered to the man's tie, It caused Tsuna to hyperventilate as he carefully read the Italian words.

_Cusenza Familiga._

_HIIIIIIIIIE! What on earth is an Italian Familiga doing in a Japanese electronics center! And why are they fighting with my friends!?_

The trembling Mafioso's inner thoughts reflected his frantic outer gestures.

"Oh! Is this some sort of promotional act for the store?" Kyoko's innocent outburst snapped Tsuna from his panic attack. Even though Kyoko knew about her friends' and brother's dangerous lifestyles her small ignorant comments sometimes popped out when she didn't expect or realize the mafia had come around. Tsuna was grateful for this, if Kyoko expected the mafia life to be everywhere around him he'd probably go insane.

"Hahi! No, I think it's something _dangerous _Kyoko-chan! We should probably go back." Haru lightly pulled Kyoko back as she was still scared that one of the bullets, or blades, or dynamite might accidently come near their proximity. Kyoko realizing Haru's words and analyzing the current scene again nodded to her friend and quickly left the scene.

The scene being people in black suits, store uniforms, and civilian outfits, were pulling out guns, knives, and a few other miscellaneous weapons, desperately fighting their friends in an almost massacred isle.

The Vongola boy was in a stupor trying to make heads or tails of the situation. Although it was difficult to think with the gunshots, explosions, and his friends' loud battle cries echoing in his head. Oh how he wished he could have had a normal, quiet day. Or at least to have a bit of silence now so he could think clearly.

His wish was suddenly granted as the noise dyed down; Tsuna looked at the battling people to see that their expressions turned confused and some of them, a little scared. It was only a moment later that the brown-haired boy found himself in an illusion.

Roses were blooming under their feet. Squeezing their way through the tiled floors wafting a scent that seemed to calm, or really numb, the senses. Crows and ravens circled the people letting out their rough _squawks _and cries in an almost intimidating nature. Daring anyone to make a sound and find out the consequences. Everyone turned still, frozen as if their next breath was to be their last.

Everyone except the Vongola familiga and I-pin, because as soon as they were caught in the illusion they felt familiar warmth embracing their inner senses.

The familiga recognized Chrome's flames almost immediately. Even though she didn't do that much instinctive fighting like the rest of them, Chrome's illusions were quite an ordinary presence in their lives.

The female illusionist would either use them for playing with the kids, calming down Lambo if necessary, fool people who were causing her or the familiga trouble, or use them to sneak their way into restricted places. The regular sensation of Chrome's flames didn't alarm them, but what did was the new slight edge it now held.

It was almost like she was _agitated._

Chrome usually never felt negative sentiments towards others; she left those for herself, though not as much anymore thanks to her familiga. However, when an emotion like anger or irritation _does _phase through her mind, she would swiftly toss it aside, her low self-esteem causing her to believe that she wasn't in a position to be mad at somebody.

But sometimes those emotions would lightly graze her mind, causing that touch of anger to slowly melt her inhibitions away. Those times usually meant someone has threatened her friends or caused them to act in fear or weakness. That time was now.

The brush of irritation began when the blearing alarm went off interrupting the pleasant conversation she was having with the kind employee, who understood Chrome's chronic shyness and acted accordingly. It slowly continued when she saw an opposing familiga attacking her own and she saw her boss panicking and worrying at the situation, opposing his prior content expression when they were conversing with Kei about her phone.

Though, Chrome's final string was pulled when Kyoko and Haru had to go away. When her and her boss entered the scene with Kyoko and Haru following behind, the female illusionist instantly sensed Haru's fear as she saw the carnage and weapons in front of her. It was as if she was emitting distress from her wide brown eyes, and although Kyoko was ignorant at first, her transition to fear was just as abrupt and scathing to Chrome Dokuro as nails on a chalkboard.

Chrome knew the red-headed girl wanted to say something to her brother or to Tsuna as she was looking to the battle, her small frown and concerned gaze showing how tremendously worried she was for her friends. As much as Kyoko now accepts her companions' mafia careers, she still cared for them like they weren't always in conflict with dangerous people. Chrome sighed as she thought Kyoko's innocent outlook is probably due to the fact she doesn't want people to get hurt.

People say Chrome's innocent.

Not as innocent as the people who try and accept her every day, who try and make her laugh when she's sad, or try to make her feel important when people see her as a weak link.

No.

She was not as innocent as those people.

The thoughts flurrying around her head only made her illusion stronger, causing the aroma of the roses to become stronger, practically intoxicating the people caught in her trap. The ebony birds began to fly faster around their victims crying out louder and louder, making the incoherent squawks sound like the screaming of people.

People were getting faint, their screams blending with the ones of the birds. The illusions blocking out their regular senses and their minds shuffled like cards, they were being pushed to the line of insanity. Even the Vongola had difficulty trying to differentiate the reality and the illusion.

"Excuse me?" The familiar voice rang through Chrome's head like a bell.

"Ah, Chrome you can stop now!"

"Hahi! Chrome it's alright, we have help!"

The other two voices finally got Chrome to cease her actions, causing the illusion to end and people finally taking their real few gasps of breath. I-pin was quickly on Chrome's hair as she was worried something was wrong with her friend and wanted to comfort her. Chrome blushed at her consideration, especially since I-pin was also in her mind rattling illusion.

"OI WOMAN! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!" The pineapple haired illusionist turned her head to the voice of the Storm guardian, who was trying to compose himself as the after effects of her illusion caused him to turn pale.

Chrome immediately figured out what she had done. Her entire composure turned into an odd mixture of intense blushing and extreme queasiness. Her one eye was even producing a small stream of tears as she realized she had attacked her own family.

"I am so sorry; I didn't mean so much harm!" Her quiet voice squeaked out through her stuttering lips, it sounded choked as if she was about to sob. She then gave a deep bow so abrupt that I-pin had to jump off or risk being whipped forward.

Chrome was shaking, as if waiting to be reprimanded by her family for her volatile actions. The familiga she vowed to protect, the familiga that powers her dying will, she almost brutally broke them in a spark of her rare anger.

"P-please everyone it wasn't her fault." The familiar voice Chrome recognized as Kei began. Everyone looked to him abruptly, some of the other fighters besides the Vongola immediately straightened up as they looked at him.

"U-uh" Kei looked nervous as the Vongola was eyeing him suspiciously but continued.

"First of all I am truly sorry to have caused so much trouble for you guardians of the Vongola and Vongola Decimo." Kei bowed apologetically but noticed his words caught the attention of the Vongola he apologized to.

"A-alright w-well…" the nervous look on the man's face was uncharacteristic to his joyful and professional face he held moments before. Everyone was still waiting for his response until one of the speakers in the destroyed isle broke open revealing a small child with a suit and fedora.

"RE-REBORN!" Tsuna pointed accusingly to the baby as if something dangerous was on its face.

"You don't have to explain anything Arsenio, telling the truth isn't your greatest strength." Reborn spoke jumping to the side of the man who Chrome thought was Kei.

"I-I… I know." The man known as Arsenio sighed looking down at his feet.

The baby then turned to his student. "So how's your shopping trip, are you getting me that new ultraviolet camera I asked for?" Reborn asked casually.

Tsuna sputtered obviously irritated by his tutor's total ignorance of the tension in the room. "Reborn what is going on? Why is an Italian Mafia Family in this electronics store? Why are they even dressed as employees!?"

Reborn merely rolled his eyes.

"Hmph. You don't think we would let Chrome be offered any type of phone or computer plan by some normal employees, do you?" Reborn tipped up his hat with his green and black pistol not even hiding his knowing smirk.

Every one of the Vongola turned a little shocked, all of them trying to decipher the mini-hitman's words.

No one was able to voice their obvious questions however, as they're thoughts were interrupted by the voice of the man now known to everyone as Arsenio.

"I am the future boss of the Cusenza Family, a special family that prides itself in our spy network and intelligence gathering. To prove myself worthy to become the boss of my beloved familiga I have to be able to present my talents of undercover operations and information gathering-"

"SO YOU WERE TRYING TO GET INFORMATION OUT OF THE TENTH!" Gokudera spat as he was reaching for his dynamite

"N-NO NO. I-I was…"Arsenio waved his hands defensively backing away hoping to get out of range from the unhappy Storm guardian but then sighed like he had been reminded of a great embarrassment.

"Yes I was. For my final test I had to gain the trust from one of the members of the Vongola familiga. I however failed at gaining any sort of trust with Chrome Dokuro and I have failed in the pride of my familiga." Arsenio was on his knees, devastated of his actions. His familiga was about to comfort him when Reborn asked a simple question.

"Did you think he failed Chrome?" The sudden outburst caused everyone to look at the eye-patched girl, she blushed at the attention.

During the time when Arsenio was speaking Chrome took the chance to control her feelings and compose herself, though she knew she wouldn't be able to look any of her fellow guardians in the eye for a while.

Chrome Dokuro thought about the question for a while before responding with her honest and soft voice.

"No."

Her answer caused many people to look at her with disbelief; some of the Cusenza familiga were even gleeful at her one word answer.

"B-b-but Ms. Dokuro, I had just admitted I was using your shopping trip as rouse to gain your trust, I was even going to give you a purposefully broken cell phone and laptop so you could come back so I can fix it. And then make a bushel of problems for you so I could fix them and pretend to be your friend. I was about to gain your trust for information about your familiga!" Arsenio blurted everything he could out of his mouth, still believing the female's words were illusions themselves.

Chrome looked at the man fondly as if she was looking at a small child.

"Do you lie a lot?" She asked. Arsenio was taken aback from the Mist guardian's irrelevant question, but he nodded.

"It is my job to lie. It was the way I was raised, really."

Chrome felt herself feel a sort of sympathy and compassion for the guilty man as she readied her next question.

"Why did you tell the truth then?" The Cusenza boss' eyes widened at the new question that floated from her mouth, his words almost choking as he tried to respond.

"B-b-because my familiga was getting hurt, I had to protect them." His words were shaky but then held a firm tone, as if he did not want to regret saying those words.

"Telling the truth was the only way?"

"Yes. Anything else would involve me betraying them. Not even the position to be the boss would allow me to do that." Arsenio answered bluntly causing some of his men to sniffle. It was true, the only other option Arsenio had was to blame his familiga for the horrible mess that was made of the store as to keep the Vongola's trust in his hand.

Chrome smiled at his answer.

"You went against your role as boss to save your family from punishment not yourself. Even though you tricked me with your act as Kei, you admitted it and accepted the consequences as Arsenio just so they could be safe, I respect that…" Chrome never really enjoyed talking so much, but looking at the man before her she knew she needed to say it.

"I trust you, Arsenio Cusenza." She bowed her head.

Chrome was blushing enormously as she noticed she was the center of attention, especially by the awed eyes of her familiga who didn't know Chrome hid some powerful words.

The silence was bombarded by a party cracker that echoed in the store, streamers floated down on Arsenio as his familiga now cheered for their new and revived boss.

"Congratulations Arsenio Cusenza." Reborn stood in front of the new mafia don "You are now the official Seventh boss of your familiga."

"B-but I didn't get any information from the Vongola?"

"Your trial was to earn the trust of one of the Vongola guardians Arsenio, and you did that." Reborn responded bluntly.

Every one of the Cusenza cheered, one of the larger Mafioso's even lifted Arsenio on his shoulders while everyone sang a celebratory song while exiting the store.

The Vongola just stared at the happy crowd, glad for the family's new boss.

The cheering died down but was soon filled by a new voice.

"Chrome." Tsuna said fondly as everyone else was looking at her with a sort of subtle happiness.

"Uh, I just needed to say, never forget that we _are_ your friends first before this whole mafia thing and that no matter what you do, we'll never abandon or hurt you." Chrome gaze widened at his sincerity.

"You are one of our most precious friends and we know anything you do you have a reason." Her boss was now looking at her with such honesty she couldn't help but blush.

Chrome Dokuro looked at the rest of her friends to see they were nodding and smiling, even the Storm guardian was giving a small smirk. She felt her face shine a new happy glow. She knew that this was their response to her previous assault and she was so _glad _that her love for her familiga grew more immensely.

"Thank you."

As the group was about to exit the electronic store a sound of footsteps and a sight of a running man allowed them to stop.

"Hello friends! Sorry to interrupt you but I believe this is yours." Arsenio had come back from his loud exit and returned with a large shopping bag. He handed it to Chrome who gasped at the contents.

It was a new model of a phone, it was a flip phone but much more high-tech than a regular smart phone, or at least that what the box said. When Chrome opened the box she found a light lavender phone with a sleek outer shell, the technology was so new for her to hold.

The other surprising product in the bag was a laptop, also lavender, that seemed to have the emblem of the Vongola Mist on it.

"Uhm yeah, when I told them I was going to come back Ermanno wanted to thank you by putting something personal on it. Oh and uh your plan is still up and running so you can use the stuff you told me you were going to use when I was Kei… OH AND IT'S NOT BUGGED OR BROKEN OR ANYTHING I PROMISE! Uhm…" Arsenio stuttered, not knowing if he was saying anything unnecessary at the moment.

Chrome simply returned the contents back into the bag and turned to the new Mafia boss. She glided her way to him and stood on her tip-toes to kiss him on the cheek. The 20-year-old Cusenza boss blushed furiously.

Some of the Vongola blushed themselves but remembered this was how Chrome said thank you. She doesn't do it often maybe twice for her boss and that one time for Yamamoto, but once she had kissed you on the cheek the Vongola knew she had considered you as a friend.

After adjusting his voice so he didn't sound like a teenager in the midst of puberty, Arsenio quickly composed himself like a true boss of the mafia and handed something to the Vongola Decimo.

"Something as an apology for what my subordinates had done during the fray."

It was a business card of the Cusenza information line.

"I know the Vongola already have many informants but I hope my familiga can assist you as well." Arsenio looked warmly at the Vongola Decimo and then turned on his heels to return back to his family.

"By the way, what _did_ happen between you guys?" Haru asked as if the subject had been poking at her mind since the incident.

"Tch, those damn Cusenza started talking bad about the Vongola! No way was I going to let that get by freely!" Gokudera announced as he remembered the moment.

"Oh! Did the insult sound anything like this: _Those damn Vongola, I hope the boss gets killed by an assassin real soon_" Reborn mimicked what a gruff man sounded like poorly thanks to his baby voice.

"Yeah that's exactly the one! It's like I'm hearing the same person in my head!" Gokudera exclaimed while looking to the baby hitman in awe.

Tsuna however stopped in his tracks looking incredulously at his tutor.

_I-it was you! You were the one who provoked all that carnage!_

The tutor merely looked at his student expectantly, daring him to say something. Tsuna didn't.

"C'mon Chrome let's get all of those things set up in your house, we can make all of your accounts with you" Kyoko pulled Chrome forward along with Haru who was excitedly telling the pineapple-haired girl the features she could get in all her favorite programs.

Chrome smiled happily as she strolled along with her friends.


	4. The Illusionist's Anchor

Ooooh the Varia are in town~!

**I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

Edit: I refined the story to make a little more sense...

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><p>Money<p>

The most precious thing this mediocre world has to offer. It can buy you anything you desire, take you anywhere you want to go. The entire population of this planet depends on it like a child to its mother, or a servant to its master, or maybe even like a sinner to its God. It is a clear fact that money is, has been, and always will be the only true factor to success in this dreary land. And if anyone told Mammon otherwise he'd simply scoff at their words and float as far away from their ignorance as possible.

Money was everything. It was real, and to an illusionist reality was the only thing that kept them from going insane.

In Mammon's case, money was his anchor; it kept him grounded from illusions, not just from other illusionists but his also his own. The fact that money could bring him anything that he wanted in the world that his illusions could not was the stone cold fact that chained him to this earth. He was grateful for this circumstance, he knew that if it weren't for this material prize that kept his head clear and his intentions vivid when in another's mind Mammon would've have died much younger than he would've liked. And he was already much too young for his liking.

Mammon sighed as he finished counting the foreign currency he received from his previous mission. It was really just chump change compared to other assignments he had done but to his discontent it had been a slow week for the whole Assassination group. The former Mist Arcobaleno grimaced at the small salary he was gaining. He needed a walk, or float if he was being realistic with himself.

Mammon collected his profit – money was money of course – glided through the hotel room, dodging Belphegor's arm as he tried to pinch his cheeks, and simply soared out the window, floating to, maybe a convenience store to buy some cheap chocolate. He really did enjoy those sweet snacks, not just for the price but chocolate was truly a delicacy from whatever heritage it derived from, rich or poor really didn't make a difference to the delicious confection.

As the Varia Mist guardian flew above the high ground, he could view a few small houses hiding behind the tall buildings. He recognized the layout of the streets. He had been in this city before, most of the reasons he came to this town were quite troubling for him in fact. It always left a taste of cold metal on his tongue when he remembered all of the conflicts and battles that went on in the area, some of which were close to killing him.

Ah, yes. Namimori, the most annoyingly peaceful town Japan had to offer. And at the same time it was the most eventful town he had ever been to, it was a strange contrast if you have never attended the _events_ yourself. Mammon inwardly leered at the ignorant citizens who failed to see past the calming air of their community as he lowered himself down closer to the sidewalk, where he gained curious stares from a few of the said citizens.

If an important mission wasn't going on in this city Mammon would probably be in Headquarters by now scanning through his assignment files to find something interesting and more money-making to do. Unfortunately Reborn and the Ninth Vongola Boss needed the Varia to track down some of Verde's spies who have been collecting information on some new Dying-Will flame weapon being exported from Russia. Mammon sighed as he recalled the harmonized frustration the whole assassination group was having due to the extreme difficulty of trailing the narcissistic scientists' lackeys. It seems after Verde's team-up with Mukuro and the Kokuyo gang the green-haired baby got a little more tactical about choosing his subordinates. This made the former Lightening Arcobaleno even more infuriating than he already was.

The automatic doors slid open as it sensed movement from the entrance. Mammon passed it by with the same pace he had been using since his departure. He soon came across an acceptable brand of chocolate on a shelf and quickly found his way to the cashier and placed his purchase on the counter.

"90 yen." A teenage part-timer responded a little too optimistically, trying not to mind he was talking to a customer that was not only fun-sized but floating in mid-air as well.

Mammon reached in his cloak for the compartment where he stored his on-hand cash and froze when he found it hollow. He knew he had more than 90 yen when he left, he always had money with him but this time it was empty.

Was he robbed? No a fool wouldn't even dare touch his savings…

…But maybe, a genius would. Mammon memories flashed to when he was leaving out the hotel window and his royal colleague attempted to scrunch his face.

_Of course that high-horsed prince wouldn't just miss a target so easily; the idiot used his first action to mask his second... _The Mist Arcobaleno's thoughts were filled with curses and promises to pay back the prince as soon as possible.

"Uhm…" A pubescent voice ceased Mammon's planning as he turned to an awkward looking employee. It looks like he will have to return the product. As Mammon reached for the bag to return it to its proper shelf, a clang and clicking of coins tumbling on the counter ceased his movements. The teenage cashier and baby illusionist turned curiously to see Chrome Dokuro with her hand placed on the cashier stand.

"I will pay for it." Her soft voice projected quietly but certain. The half-startled the cashier hesitantly collected himself and counted the coins left by the girl, giving his floating customer the receipt and product.

"I don't need your charity." Varia's strongest illusionist pivoted his gaze to the petite woman. She ignored the threatening air he seethed and looked to him almost apologetically, but promptly turned away and went up to the cashier-boy instead. She paid for her purchases and headed towards the exit. Outside, Mammon confronted his fellow illusionist and harshly repeated:

_" I. Do. Not. Need. Your. Charity."_

His voice lingered on the last word as if hell had produced its form. However, the single-eyed girl once again did not cower at the hostility of the baby. She simply stepped back with a tinge of pink on her face and a slight shy hesitation wavering in her eye. She then briefly explained herself as was appropriate.

"I-I'm sorry for that… but I saw you were mumbling in front of the cashier about …_the stupid prince… _and …_revenge…_ so I thought you were stressed…" her pauses were an obvious clue she did not enjoy talking very much or she did not like talking about her own reasons for acting. Mammon supposed he could appreciate that incapacity. "…I thought you might've needed the chocolate like I do when I become stressed. So when you picked it up to return it my arm reacted for itself." The fragile girl looked down in slight shyness and in slight guilt for her interference.

So he was mumbling, no wonder the cashier interrupted his contemplations with a look that said he was crazy….

Mammon sighed. All in all Chrome Dokuro was quite faultless. Getting angry at her would be like spitting on a kitten. Though, the Arcobaleno was not amused that her motive for her kindness was pity.

"Alright, so what do you want?" Mammon blurted a little irritably as if he wanted to get the trade over with.

"Huh…?" Chrome blinked her owlish, violet eye innocently contemplating Mammon's abrupt question.

"I don't like owing anyone, even for the little stuff. So what do you want in return?" The Varia Mist guardian sighed impatiently. _Is this woman naïve?_

As if on cue Chrome's eye immediately sparked with realization "Oh…That's not necessary, you don't need to owe me anything." Chrome announced curtly never losing her soft undertone. She then bowed to the former Arcobaleno as she decided to take her leave; she figured she wasn't useful at this point.

Normally Mammon would brush this off, the debt wasn't big and if the girl was truly content with nothing it wasn't his problem. Besides, if Mammon felt like he needed to pay her back, he could slip 90 yen somewhere for her to find. But something felt off, maybe it was frustration from the mission, or the fact that he allowed the prince to thieve him of his earnings, but Chrome Dokuro's mild nature was beginning to piss him off.

Whenever Mammon found the time to look at the girl, he saw a form of purity, a purity that had been tainted by physical injury and an evil man's dishonesties. Yet, she still has the guile to stay sweet and compassionate. Her appearance was made to look fragile and small; her demeanor was one that of a rabbit. She regrettably took all these things in stride and was labeled the weak link of the Vongola guardians, and also the one most likely to betray them all for her affiliation with one pineapple-haired illusionist. Admittedly though, Chrome Dokuro was a little different than what the rumors assumed. While he had no idea of her treachery, but highly doubted the likeliness of it, he knew she was quite strong; it was easy to acknowledge her prowess as an illusionist since the day he first met her. And now the eye-patched girl was maintaining her own illusionary organs and using combat illusions at the same time. Combat illusions that could bring a man's head to the ground asking the dirt for salvation. It made Mammon believe that she had a much stronger goal than what her presence foretold.

Chrome Dokuro was clearly an enigma, wrapped in innocent naivety, wrapped in another enigma. She was a code that was ready to be cracked. But what made the female illusionist truly mysterious – and made Mammon look at her with a curious annoyance – was that unlike all the other powerful illusionists, Mammon found it strange she had no _anchor _to keep her stilled to the surface of reality. He of course had money, Rokudo Mukuro had the ambition of world domination and power, and even the annoying little Fran kept himself sane with the blunt and insulting facts he found in everyone he encountered. But as her power and ability grew she was not obsessed with anything material. At first, Mammon thought it to be her former master Rokudo Mukuro but after her excommunication from his group she became less zealous of the pineapple-haired man. And to all the Vongola members that became a great relief.

He couldn't collect any more data since Chrome was a silent presence in all of the Vongola activities. Chrome Dokuro never stuck out in a crowd even with her eye patch or spear sticking out from her bag. In fact, the information file he collected from her was quite thin in itself.

The only interesting information he found about her was that her birth name was Akesaka Nagi, her mother is the famous movie star Akesaka Suzu, whose films Mammon had admittedly enjoyed, and her step-father, Akesaka Masaru is the new manager of the renowned over-seas company _KAL-I,_ a high-quality communication service company. Not much was known about her birth-father but it seemed he was the one who Chrome inherited illusions from. As no matter how far the Varia's Head of Intelligence Officer dug into his past, it was as if the only history the man left was his daughter and his first name; Shin.

Anything after that were Chrome's actions as Mukuro's puppet or anything under the past Vongola Familiga's affairs. Mammon though, was a little ticked off that the pineapple-haired girl chose to leave a family that held so much success. He knew she would've been set for life if she had not made the infamous contract with Rokudo Mukuro. But Mammon really wasn't one to tamper into whatever personal matter that had caused Chrome to leave a life of luxury. Instead, he found himself curious as to what made Chrome sane after all her growth as an illusionist. If it wasn't the fame and fortune that came with being the daughter of two powerful beings, or a religious obsession with her former master, what else could it be?

While Mammon was lost in his thoughts he had followed the subject of his views to her apartment. Chrome of course noticed but simply let him tag along; it really wasn't any trouble for her. As she had reached the door to her flat and was reaching for her key in her pocket the illusionist child spoke again.

"What do you want?"

Chrome, surprised by the question looked to the Varia baby with confused eyes and a crease in her brow. She was sure she had already answered this question, did he not like her answer? Was that why he was following her?

Chrome felt slightly anxious but decided to stick to her original response. "You do not need to owe me anything-"

"I mean do you want anything from this _world?_" She was interrupted by Mammon's squeaky yet strict voice. The baby's twist on the question caught Chrome off guard again and she thought she should answer this question where she could sit. Thrusting her key into the lock and opening the door she quickly went inside, leaving the entrance open for her new guest to follow her. She put all her convenience store items on the kitchen counter and made her way to her couch where the former Mist Arcobaleno had already made himself comfortable. Silence followed suit after she sat, it was broken only by her house guest's somewhat demanding voice.

"Well?" Mammon asked slowly opening the bag of bite-sized chocolate that she had generously paid for.

Chrome was contemplating, searching deep in her mind and heart for the correct answer. She knew full well when one of the Varia wanted an answer they wanted one that met their criteria, or else the responder of the question was cut down along with their views. Also, Chrome never had to answer such an existential question out loud before, so the thought of it excited her. After moments of silence and inaudible words, the purple-eyed girl looked to the baby.

"I want…" she began hesitantly, trusting her tongue for the eloquence she wished she had. " I want… to… be loved." Chrome looked down at her lap, embarrassed at her honesty and the clichéd response she had made. But she knew her last words were final. They were said with obvious awkwardness but they held so much feeling from her voice that it was difficult to interpret it as anything else, and although, the girl was shyly content with her response, the person she was responding to certainly was not.

"Excuse me?" The Varia Officer was now in noticeable confusion and irritation, after the girl's long pauses of speech, that he was only able to stay patient for thanks to his chocolate, he expected her to blurt out some sort of vast item or goal she needed done. The baby wanted so badly for her reason to be in this world to be something other than the hallucination of good faith and heart he got from weak opponents. But all he recieved was mere innocent emotion clouding the judgment of reality.

"All those pauses and yet all you have to say are fool's words?" Mammon was finally at wits ends with the young illusionist, for all the thought he put towards her, looking at her like a mysterious and dangerous trump card, he was truly disappointed in her reasoning. He had really hoped she was something to acknowledge but instead she spurted out a weaklings desire, not to mention it was the weakest of all aspirations. Love was flimsy, it did not bend the way you wanted it to, and it could stab you in the heart if you even try to move it in you favor. People would trek to the far ends of the earth to obtain love, only to find they have been walking on a sphere. He couldn't believe he even had an ounce of deference for this woman. Her secrecy and silence was something he had come to respect to a certain degree – and to even gain any sort of respect from a Varia Officer was quite a high feat - but her answer was one he had known that would only cause people a lonely and insufferable demise.

_How had she become so powerful with such blasphemous aims? Had she sunken below reality so much that she's now swimming in delusions? What type of illusionist is SHE? To waste my time to even ponder her way of thinking! This woman needs to learn the reality of the world. Love will show her nothing but despair..._

Mammon's thoughts had become rampant, slowly he felt an illusion form around the area; he wanted to show her true power. Not power that could be bought from the thin concept of love, but one that could be achieved from the knowledge of reality.

Instantly, Chrome's senses were sending sirens through her body. Illusions of immense power had built inside her proximity. Unconsciously, she let her spear appear in her hand, a weapon that once held three spikes now held one, as if to differentiate her identity from another certain illusionist. She could feel the wooden floor crumbling into something akin to dirt but much tougher and stale, like its fertility had become a null memory. The walls of her apartment corroded at an alarmingly fast pace, wilting like leaves left on branches in the winter, to reveal a blood red sky, outlined only by thick black clouds. She felt the scents of her apartment turn into odors of death and gunpowder and that she herself was surrounded by barbed wire, rusted by clotted blood and dirt. The entire room looked like a war-scene, though no soldiers present, the reek of the dead was an evident presence to her nose. In fact, the stench of rotting corpses was so vivid Chrome Dokuro had to wonder how many deaths Mammon had been present for to create such a disgusting fragrance. It almost made her gag. As Chrome searched for the source of the master illusion, her spear held fiercely in her grip, the barb wires in front of her began to circle tightly around her form. Although the pineapple-haired girl knew exactly that she was in an illusion, the sharp gnashing of the barbed spikes and the strong scent of blood and rust had made her straighten her stance immediately, the closeness of the wires creating goose bumps on her skin. As Chrome was searching for a way to escape this mind trick a new sound of clanging metal distracted her from her peril. Her ears pointed her line of vision towards the metallic screeching. Chrome Dokuro then found her target emerging from a ball, formed from the remaining barbed wires in front of her. The haloed child floated in front of her as if daring her to move for assault. Chrome then took a long breath as to calm herself from the lethal predicament she had found herself in. If Chrome Dokuro was her previous self - before she was a part of the adventures and shenanigans of the Vongola familiga - such a threatening situation would have caused her to panic or to call for her master for help, but unlike her previous self she had grown more powerful, her illusions more potent, and her fighting instinct more on-point. If this were the previous Chrome Dokuro she wouldn't have stood a chance.

Chrome's resolve was now imbedded deeply into her one visible eye. The will to live for her familiga was now in her heart, burning like a cold flame. Her soft and sad eye shone with an intense glow, it was as if her stare was the haze and smoke above a huge house fire, uncaring of the massacre below her, killing all who breathed her in, and never seen or noticed as the radiance of the fire hid her existence from panicked eyes. She was a haze lacking emotion, lacking fear, lacking sympathy, and most of all lacking any will of failure. Chrome spread a thin layer of her illusions around the area. Her subtle flames had already engulfed the environment, trying to soothe the Arcobaleno's illusion into her own. Mammon, being the veteran took quick notice and tightened her prison - angry that she was interrupting his sermon and rant of how important the use of material world objects were to an illusionist's mind - grazing the spikes of the wire against her porcelain skin. Chrome's eyes merely turned colder as she gazed into the illusionist's eyes, like they weren't covered by his long hood.

Mammon took this interruption as an opportunity to question her again, this time using her previous answer as the subject.

"Chrome Dokuro." His declaration for her attention was clear, though Chrome never broke her cold stare. "What has made you think _love _is something you can obtain in this world?" Instead of the surprise she usually used when Mammon asked a question, the Arcobaleno was slightly interested to see that her eye had narrowed, making it look like she was… irritated. Of course Chrome was quite maddened, not by the baby's question but by her circumstance and imprisonment. Though, she did take this opportunity to think of different strategies of freedom. The query was also a somewhat good distraction for her to increase the strength of her mist flames as they slowly clung onto the real the details of her apartment. Chrome had as well taken Mammon's question into consideration, her polite side still prominent in her cold attitude; she half knew that her answer would not be acceptable to the Varia Officer. The Varia were raised with power and absolute strength. And although illusionists were not as physically strong as others, a firm discipline and sharp intellect replaced the need of such unruly power. To say her goal in life was to be loved was probably an alien-like response to hear from any powerful illusionist, especially one that was respected by Rokudo Mukuro or considered a guardian of the Vongola. But Chrome stood by her answer, no amount of educated rants could ever change her mind, no matter how far the wisdom extended from. The love and care from her familiga had given her courage to live and move forward, the adventures that always seemed to follow her - now that people wanted to bring her along - gave her a sense of belonging she never had. Even the sort of strained respect she received from the baby illusionist she took as treatment much fonder than that of her old life. Yes, _love _was the only thing she needed in this world.

"I have already obtained it." Her voice lost any sense of anxiety, sounding as cold and deadly as her violet eye, which was still analyzing her captor's every movement. Mammon couldn't deny it, Chrome Dokuro's demeanor changed into something demonic, not the chaotic terror that Hibari Kyoya, or Rokudo Mukuro, or even the Varia exerted. But a cold and silent power that was in its own way, much more terrifying and chilling. It almost made him question to why he was looking at her like she was weak. "From my familiga I have obtained love, they had given it to me and they had given me the chance to love them back." Her words would have made people gag at the sweetness of them, if not for the cold and unforgiving way she was saying them.

"… And…" She continued. "…if that love is ever endangered by _anyone, _I will protect it with my _dying will."_ Her voice was so certain it felt like a block of steel had dropped into the room, causing a silence to cascade throughout the area.

Chrome filled the pause soon after. "I know my need to be loved sounds like weakness to you; I know that you have grown so far with power and fear that anything else will sound like hopeless words. But this is my truth, this is what made life bearable for me, it is what makes my illusions strong and keeps me from going insane with all the power I have received-"

"Love will only bring you despair." The Arcobaleno interrupted her, trying to pierce the truth into her naïve mind.

"Love has saved me from despair and it is what drives me away from it." Her eyes had begun to soften as she found the baby listening more intently to her words.

"And what will happen once the love you cherish so deeply runs out, once that thin line breaks and you are left to fall into sadness?" Mammon had little patience for such rose-tinted responses; he needed to show her what true power was, to keep her from losing her sanity. The Arcobaleno would rather eat Phantasma than say it, but the girl in front of him was truly a better presence to be with than most people in the Vongola were. He would feel remorse if he found her mind in an incurable scrambled state thanks to her illogical motives.

Chromes head was slightly bowed, still careful of the wires she was held by. Her kind behavior melted back onto her face. She now knew Mammon was actually confused, she had thought he wanted to dispose of her because of the answer she came up with. But all he needed to was to make sense of what she said, and she supposed he wanted her to see his way of thinking was the best way of survival. Chrome's lone eye, now flickering with a sense of empathy, had trained itself to the Varia Officer who seemed impatient at her serene silence. It was not the hesitant silence that he had hoped for, the one where he could call out on her faults like a teacher to a D-grade student, but it was one where he felt like she knew more than him, a silence that needed to be killed in an instant.

"Once that love runs out, I will catch myself again." Her voice echoed through the ears of the baby. "I already know what despair feels like and at the same time I know what love feels like. My memories of love will be my anchor and strength to move forward and to continue growing. And my memories of despair will be the push I need to never look back to my sadness. I will not fall into despair again. _I know that for certainty."_ Her last phrase was said in her cold and dead tone as to make sure her words were not misheard or to be misinterpreted to sound hesitant. It was hard not to believe the truth in her words; even Mammon felt his grip on his illusion slightly wane from her speech. Mammon blinked behind his dark hood.

_Am I wavered that easily from speeches? That makes no sense? Why is my illusion losing its form-_

_Wait! _Mammon sensed a new flame within his own. It was not that his illusion was faltering, but that it was quickly being taken over. The once barren wasteland was transforming into a shining prairie where he could see a cloudless sky filled with chirping birds. The scene felt so warm and welcoming he felt his heart melt a little. This was an illusion he had never felt too often, an illusion that could be compared to a loved one's embrace or to a comfortable rest.

Chrome was out of her barbed prison and was looking at the infant with a blank eye, it held her original softness and sadness, but the indifferent look inside them lead him to believe this was her version of contempt… or pity. The indecipherable reflection he saw from it was quite annoying.

"So love is really what keeps you sane as an illusionist?" His voice was much calmer and understanding than the tone he held before. The environment was probably meant to calm his nerves, he half cursed that he found the tactic working.

Chrome simply nodded, sweat was beading down her face. The fact that she had just taken control over a high level illusion like Mammon's took a toll on her energy. She had needed the Varia Officer to cool down so she placed him inside one of her most relaxing illusions; the one where even the restless Hibari Kyoya napped comfortably in. She had positioned the environment as she was speaking her resolve to the illusionist. The confident tone she held from her sermon had only made her illusions much more powerful as she transformed the warzone into a grassy field. Unfortunately, due to the power it had taken to even grip the baby illusionist's delusion, her own land faded quickly back into the form of her apartment. She swiftly plopped onto her couch, exhausted but proud. She then limply stretched, forcing her limbs to reach above her head. After being trapped within illusionary wires for such a long period of time, the tension and stiffness in her muscles had amplified.

Mammon simply joined her on the sofa, continuing to munch on his chocolate as she finally sat-up on the couch as well. "I really wish you would reconsider. You actually have a lot of potential and it'd be a shame to see you fall." His indifferent tone told her he was half-joking and she was glad that he had some humor left in his tongue.

Chrome giggled through tired lips and decided she would respond. "Well, if love doesn't work out I always have chocolate." A blush appeared on her face as she wasn't used to making jokes and hoped she said one that was actually humorous. She got her answer as Mammon chuckled and offered her some chocolate from his bag, which she gladly took some from.

Chocolate was always a good answer he supposed.


End file.
